John Mercer Patton (10 August 1797 – 29 October 1858) was a member of the US House of Representatives from Virginia's 11th district from 25 November 1830 to 3 March 1833, succeeding Philip B. Barbour and preceding Andrew Stevenson, and from the 13th district from 4 March 1833 to 7 April 1838, succeeding Joseph Chinn and preceding John Rutherfoord. He also served as Governor of Virginia from 20 to 31 March 1841, succeeding Thomas Walker Gilmer and preceding John Rutherfoord.
Biography[]
John Mercer Patton was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia on 10 August 1797, the son of Scottish immigrant Robert Patton and Ann Gordon Mercer, the daughter of General Hugh Mercer. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1818 and became a lawyer, becoming a member of the Democratic Party. In 1830, he was appointed to the US House of Representatives to fill a vacancy, and he was elected to the House in 1833. From 19 to 31 March 2017, Patton served as acting Governor of Virginia, succeeding Thomas W. Gilmer and preceding John Rutherfoord. He died in Richmond in 1858 at the age of 61, and he was the father of George S. Patton Sr., Isaac W. Patton, and Waller T. Patton and the great-grandfather of general George S. Patton.